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If you remember the 1997 movie, As Good As It Gets, you might remember who Melvin Udall is. He is an OCD misanthropic author, played by Jack Nicholson. Melvin had several compulsive behaviors in the movie including excessive hand washing.
I’ve always been a bit of a hand washer. This habit is partly for good reasons, and partly because of some kink in a neuron somewhere in Continue reading “I’ve become Melvin Udall”
Let me preface this little piece with the caveat that you may need to be a man of a well experienced age to fully appreciate it… or perhaps to relate to it.
Yesterday I was part of the problem. I was not practicing social distancing by staying at home. I had to go out to a couple stores for what were, only by stretching it a far piece, necessities. I was out of vodka so I needed to hit the liquor store, and I wanted to buy some paint. My ADHD wife is getting a wee Continue reading “Caught the tip in my zipper”
“A ‘No’ uttered from the deepest conviction is better than a ‘Yes’ merely uttered to please, or worse, to avoid trouble.” ~~ Mahatma Gandhi
To see more Quotes for Day, visit this link: Quotes for the Day
I find it very interesting that my bride, who, on occasion, views shopping as a recreational activity, has been sending me out there amongst them for groceries. I understand why. She has health issues, including a couple of auto-immune problems. She must feel that I am less likely to be affected by the virus. Who knows. But I am doing my dangest to be safe when I shop. Someone has to do it.
This morning I went to Aldi and Trader Joe’s. I mention this because Continue reading “I Scored Some Toilet Paper!!!”
I was listening to a Living on Earth podcast as I was doing yard work this afternoon. On one segment they were interviewing the author of The Optimist’s Telescope, Bina Venkataraman.
She made a point that struck home with me. We are a society much too focused on the short term. We are builders of quonset huts and not of cathedrals. When people go to vote they are thinking of their own immediate issues, probably whatever issue or problem is most current. Her suggestion was before you go to vote, write a letter to your grandchildren or even great grandchildren. Explain to them why you voted they way you did. The whole point being to make yourself think more of the long term.
This harks back to a theme I have mentioned several times in this blog, usufruct. It is actually a legal term referring to (layman here) the right to enjoy and profit from real property as long as you do not alter or damage it. For me, this invokes the concept of stewardship. We were handed this earth by the stewards that came before us, our ancestors. We have an obligation to be stewards for the generations that are coming after us.
Write that damn letter to your grandkids.
Here is a link to that Interview with Venkataraman.
In my somewhat long and very circuitous life I have lived through several natural disasters, economic, spiritual and emotional crises. The current one of COVID-19 feels different on so many levels. With natural disasters and to some extent with economic crises there is something physical to grasp onto, something to see. Especially with natural crises, there is often something physical you can do. Our physicality in this crisis is limited to sheltering in place. With a natural disaster you generally have a timeline. You have an expectation Continue reading “Zombie Apocalypse and Silver Linings”
No idea who these folks are, but they are singing for all of us…
yeah I know you did not ask!
Okay… Drum roll please. We have a guest randomizer from the greater Chicago area. And now without further ado…
First of all; I saw the price of gas was $1.499/ gal a couple of days ago. I filled up on March 11th when the price up here was $2.099. My car is still in the driveway with a full tank of gas, I’ve been in self-quarantine working on my house for 3 months, and I have no need to go fill up on the cheapest gas in 20 years. We all know the price will escalate soon, about the time I start driving again. That’s just rude.
Second of all: I saw the news yesterday that over 3.2 million people filed for unemployment last week. Of course our Sec of the Treasury doesn’t think it matters, but the “Markets” shot up over 1,300. It was the cap to the biggest 3 day rally since 1931. I vaguely remember this happening before so it begs the question; Why is it that when unemployment rises, so do the “Markets”?
“Those rich f***s! This whole f***ing thing… I did not watch my buddies die face down in the muck so that this f***ing Trump could turn our nation into a Banana Republic.” ~~ Walter Sobchak
To see more Quotes for Day, visit this link: Quotes for the Day